


His Boyfriend

by aceofhearts88



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Sam is sleepy and cute, secret but not so secret boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-26 15:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7580338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceofhearts88/pseuds/aceofhearts88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Sam's defense, Steve could have really asked about the boyfriend at some point in their travels. It wasn't a secret.</p>
            </blockquote>





	His Boyfriend

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ineffableblack 
> 
> I hope it's as sweet as it is intended to be.

On the one hand, he never brought up the topic of relationships on his own, but on the other hand, Steve also hadn't asked even once. In all their conversations, in all the hours they spent chasing after a ghost who clearly didn't want to be found. Not once had they talked anything personal that came even close to their love lives, and Sam hadn't even noticed it.

Music, movies, books, food, they had talked about everything there was to talk about, just no, hey, do you have a boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, wife, husband? It wasn't like Sam would have denied having a boyfriend, or purposefully kept it vague so that Steve wouldn't figure it out.

If the topic had come up during their fruitless searches through abandoned and cobweb infested Hydra bases, then Sam would have told him the truth. And the truth was that he had a boyfriend, that he had a beautiful and very healthy and very happy relationship with a man who was not that unfamiliar to Steve. That he had a boyfriend with a name that Steve would quickly recognize, had a boyfriend for three years now.

And without any additional prompting, Sam would have gushed about him. How beautiful he was. How incredibly amazing and smart he was. How talented he was. How unbelievably brave and patient he could be. How no one ever really saw him for who he really was in the shadow of a friend who took all the light upon himself.

He would have told Steve that his boyfriend was in the army still, that he still after three years spent so many nights lying awake and staring at the ceiling, worrying about him. Every Sunday he could make himself free, he went up to the little church around the block and gave a small prayer.

'Don't let him fall like Riley did.'

They even talked on the phone and it still didn't come up, late in the day when they turned into hotel rooms or settled down into their tent, Sam called his loved one. And they talked. About their days and what had happened, and Steve didn't once got curious or surprised over why Sam kept absolutely nothing secret.

And what was the reason. 

\--

Then came the much needed break in New York City, both of them were exhausted, Sam more on the physical front and Steve on the emotional psychological one. Months of trying to hunt down anything on Barnes and the man himself, it was tiring and it led to absolutely fucking nothing, and Sam was just so tired.

He couldn't even appreciate seeing Stark Tower from the inside with his own eyes for the first time, couldn't give the smallest comment over anything as they made their way through the foyer and over to the private elevator for the highest floors. Steve was, despite his obvious frustration still talking, talking and talking over what they could do once they had slept for a good night, Sam didn't have the heart nor the energy yet to make it clear to him that he wasn't going to move for the next week. And a half.

In the elevator they were greeted by Stark's AI and while Sam just waved a hand, Steve launched into a whole array of questions which Sam tuned out off immediately. Floor for floor they rose up into the tower, community floor their goal after Jarvis had told them that Stark was waiting for them, probably more than just intending to rib Steve over not having found anything without his help so far.

That was just Stark's way of handling things.

Tony's way of handling things.

When the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Sam looked up, looked up and was suddenly smiling, no more endless repeat of ouch ouch ouch in his head, no more legs screaming for a bed, no more headache, no more hurting back. In that moment, he was just so happy again.

He didn't even hear Steve start with something being snarked in Tony's direction, he didn't even see Tony anywhere, he could only see him. Him, who shouldn't be here. Who had said he has meetings until the weekend, hearings and mission plannings and a briefing with the new Secretary of Defense.

Him who was here after all. Who was standing right there, smiling and one hand already stretched out towards him.

And Sam was moving on aching legs and screaming feet, hurrying forward and lips breaking into a bright happy smile. And then he was falling against a warm chest, face burying itself in a soft neck, strong arms coming around his waist and back and pulling him even closer against the body that took his weight so willingly.

“You're here.” He whispered and the arms tightened around him a fraction more, but Jim laughed, chest and neck buzzing with the sound, his head turning until he could press his cheek against Sam's forehead.  
“Welcome to New York, Sammy.” Jim told him quietly and Sam pulled back just enough so that they could kiss, lips meeting in a slow sweet kiss, so much longing and so much solved 'I miss you so much'.

Jim smiled at him when they broke apart for air again, so warm and beautiful and Sam felt loopy with the love burning through his veins. Phone calls really weren't the same as standing right here in his arms, feeling the solid weight of his arms around him. Sam collected his last energy reserves to wrap his own arms around Jim's waist, leaning closer to peck his lips again, quick little butterfly kisses.

It had been way too long.

“So...” Jim said a short moment after Sam had leaned his head against his shoulder and closed his eyes again, “I think we'll be going to my floor then before Sam falls asleep where he is standing.”  
“'m not falling sleep.” Sam protested against his shoulder, but he wasn't really fighting against the drowsiness either, Jim was just so warm, and he knew every dip of this body. Every soft inch, every hard bone.

In the background, Tony snickered and Steve was extremely quiet.

\--

In the privacy of Jim's floor, positively alone, just the two of them, Jim guided Sam over to the bedroom, passed right by the couch that was comfortable as well but still couldn't hold up to what he wanted Sam to feel in that moment. 

He chuckled over Sam's adorable if failing attempts to pull off the sweatshirt he was wearing and reached in to help before he could hurt himself. He was a little worried under all that happiness at seeing Sam again, it had been a long time since he had last seen him so exhausted and dead on his feet, but he was here now and Jim could personally take care of him.

Make sure he got that energy back. That blinding smile, that beautiful laugh. Those mesmerizing eyes.

Sam kicked his shoes off and then somehow wriggled himself out of his pants, clumsy and so utterly cute in that sleepy way of his that Jim couldn't help but grin at him, so gone still. Even after three years that man still had him stop and freeze over the love he felt for him, so real, so warm and gentle.

Sam face-planted into the pillows with a grunt that was neither graceful nor really cute anymore and Jim snorted but moved to follow him, lying down on his side right next to Sam who sleepily blinked up at him, his face half squished into the pillow.  
“Hey, there, sleepyhead, you don't want a shower first?” Jim asked him quietly, reaching out with one hand to brush a couple of fingers through Sam's air.

“Sleep.” Was all Sam answered him with and he smiled, leaning down to kiss his forehead before rolling onto his back and letting Sam shuffle closer, face pressed back against his neck.   
“Then go to sleep, babe, I'm right here.” He said and leaned his head against Sam's, both arms wrapping themselves around Sam's too thin upper body, fingers stroking over soft skin, dancing gently up and down his spine.

“Right here.” Sam mumbled, body growing more lax and heavy against Jim as he finally let himself drift off, safe and protected in the arms of the man who loved him so much, “Love you.” were his last words before his breath evened out against Jim's neck and sleep caught him in its careful embrace.

“I love you, too, Sam.” Jim replied to him nevertheless, smiling and relaxing into the bed himself, not really tired but so happy to have Sam back with him. He continued to stroked his hands over Sam's back, smiled with every rise and fall of Sam's chest against his own. Felt his heart grow in sizes over every snuffle against his neck, every little twitch of the hand Sam kept gripping the front of his shirt with.

They were together again.

\--

In the next morning, Sam found himself smirking into his eggs while Jim was quietly snickering at the coffee machine and Steve spluttered and waved a hand around.

“Five months.” He said for what felt like the hundredth time, “Five months and you never said anything. Five months, Sam, five months.”  
“Well, you never asked.” He defended himself and grinned, unable to contain it in any way, he was just so happy. So so happy when Jim poured them both a cup of coffee and came back to the table, sitting down right next to him, hooking one leg around his ankle under the table and pushing an arm around his shoulders on the back of Sam's chair.

Steve gaped between them again for a moment. At their familiarity with each other.

“I feel so stupid.” Steve groaned and almost buried his face in his cereals, “Suddenly everything is making a whole lot more sense. Of course there would be no need to keep anything from our chase secret with Rhodey. And god, you just have to hate me for keeping Sam from you for so long.” Steve directed at Jim in the end but he smiled, glanced at Sam and kissed his cheek once.

“No, it's fine, Steve. I've been working non stop since Hydra-gate anyway, wouldn't have had a lot of time to come down to Sam. We're together now, that's what counts.” Jim answered and Sam reached over to squeeze his thigh once, letting his hand rest in place afterwards.

Steve smiled at them, a true puppy smile.

“I'm really happy for you two, you look happy together.” He said and Sam looked at Jim, grinned when the other man wrapped his hand around Sam's on his thigh.

“We love each other, couldn't be happier.”


End file.
